WELLINGTON: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday announced a wide-ranging royal commission into antisemitism, weeks after a mass shooting at a Jewish holiday event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach left 15 people dead.
Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Albanese said the commission would examine the nature, prevalence and drivers of antisemitism in Australia, as well as the circumstances surrounding the Bondi attack. Two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration at the popular beachfront location.
The inquiry will also make recommendations on law enforcement responses, measures to strengthen social cohesion, and ways to counter the spread of extremism.
A royal commission is the most powerful form of government-ordered inquiry in Australia, with authority to summon witnesses and compel the production of documents.
Albanese said the commission would be led by former High Court judge Virginia Bell. Its report is due by December 14, marking one year since the Bondi shooting.
The announcement follows weeks of growing calls for a national-level inquiry from lawmakers across the political spectrum, Jewish community leaders and other public figures, including prominent sports personalities. They had pressed for a royal commission rather than a state-level inquiry in New South Wales, where the attack occurred.
